How life has changed in St. Helens

St. Helens' population decreased by about 1,500 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the most notable changes among the local population.

The population decreased

In the decade to 2011, the population of St. Helens fell by 0.9%, from just under 177,000 to 175,000.

The loss of almost 2,000 people means this area's population decreased by 0.9% between that last two censuses, while the population of England increased by 7.9%

In 2011, St. Helens was home to, on average, 9.2 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older St. Helens

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of St. Helens increased by three years, from 38 to 41 years.

This area had a higher average age than the North West and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 3,700 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 5,000.

About 12.0% of people in St. Helens are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and St. Helens by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in considerably limiting disability

St. Helens saw the North West's largest rise in the proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just over 1 in 18 (5.7%) in St. Helens reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 4.6% in 2001. The percentage who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 7.5% to 7.2%.

Across the region, Blackburn with Darwen saw the next largest increase in the proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability (from 3.7% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011).

Every local authority area across the North West saw a rise in the proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability, as the regional average grew from 3.7% to 4.4%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

St. Helens saw the North West's largest rise in the proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care.

In 2011, just under 1 in 25 (3.7%) in St. Helens reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 3.0% in 2001. The percentage that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.7% to 2.1%.

Across the region, Fylde saw the next largest increase in the proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care (from 2.2% in 2001 to 2.8% in 2011).

Every local authority area across the North West saw a rise in the proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care, as the regional average grew from 2.4% to 2.8%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in St. Helens remained close to 3.7%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and St. Helens by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

St. Helens saw the North West's third-largest fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just under one in eight (12.4%) households in St. Helens had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 13.1% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 31.8% to 29.1%.

Across the region, only Eden (from 10.2% to 9.3%) and Salford (from 10.0% to 9.2%) saw a greater decrease in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across the North West

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in St. Helens

Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation in St. Helens, the largest percentage point increase was among those who said they had no religion, rising 8.8 points between 2001 and 2011. The census question about religion is voluntary, so varying response rates mean caution is needed when comparing figures between different areas or between censuses.

In 2011, 15.5% of respondents in St. Helens said they had no religion, up from 6.7% in 2001.

Across the North West, the percentage of respondents who described themselves as having no religion increased from 11.3% to 21.1%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Around 83.4% of respondents in St. Helens said they were Christian, down from 92.6% in 2001. About 0.4% said they were Muslim, up from 0.2% a decade prior.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or relocating for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population that said they had no religion in St. Helens increased by 8.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, North West and St. Helens by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in St. Helens that rented privately increased from 4.4% to 10.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in five (20.6%) households lived in social housing, compared with 23.7% in 2001. The percentage of St. Helens households that owned their home decreased from 68.7% to 67.3%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 8.5% in 2001 to 15.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in St. Helens increased by 5.9 percentage points

Percentage of households in St. Helens, the North West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of St. Helens residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 12.7% to 8.3% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (76.8%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 64.8% in 2001. The percentage of St. Helens residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22.4% to 14.9%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11.0% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in St. Helens decreased by 4.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in St. Helens, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in St. Helens, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.5% to 10.0% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (30.0%) households had only one person, compared with 27.7% in 2001. The percentage of households in St. Helens which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 39.6% to 33.8%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 7.9% in 2001 to 9.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in St. Helens increased by 2.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in St. Helens, the North West and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of employment

The percentage of employed people increased in St. Helens at a faster rate than in Wigan (one of the most statistically similar areas to St. Helens based on ONS area classifications).

In St. Helens, the proportion of employed people increased from 50.1% in 2001 to 52.6% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in statistically similar Wigan increased from 53.6% to 54.0%.

Across the North West, the share of employed people increased from 50.6% to 51.4%.

The rate of unemployment in St. Helens increased from 4.2% to 5.1%, while the rate of self-employment increased from 5.2% to 6.2%.

The rate of employment was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were employed across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in St. Helens working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 9.8% to 7.6% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 1 in 40 (2.4%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.4% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11.1% in 2001 to 8.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in St. Helens decreased by 2.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in St. Helens, the North West and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More adults are separated from partners

The percentage of adults in St. Helens that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 10.3% to 11.8% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in two (47.4%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 52.4% in 2001. The percentage of single people in St. Helens increased from 28.2% to 32.8%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11.0% in 2001 to 12.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 10.6% to 11.6%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was lower than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in St. Helens

In 2011, 98.0% of St. Helens residents said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, making it the most common ethnicity in this local authority area. The population from these groups has increased from 98.8% in 2001.

Across the North West, the percentage of people from one of the White ethnic groups decreased from 94.4% to 90.2%, while across England the percentage went from 90.7% to 85.1%.

Around 1.0% of people in St. Helens said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, compared with 0.6% in 2001. About 0.7% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.4% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Other ethnic groups (Arab or any other ethnic group) increased from 0.1% to 0.1%.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or relocating for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from one of the White ethnic groups in St. Helens remained close to 98.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and St. Helens by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

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